I had two ideas earlier and they seemed to have collided:
- collect small piece for stories like characters, character traits, descriptions, scenes, situations, stories ideas, object, etc
- use index cards for note
I think putting these story blocks onto cards will work better than putting them in a notebook or into a program of some sort, because the index card format emphasizes the modularity of the idea. Imagine grabbing five or six of these cards and creating a story for the randomness that you get. It could lead to a lot of shit writing but a lot of very unique combos as well, pairing characters and scenes that I never would naturally.
Of course, in order for this to work I need a lot of idea cards in the box when I start pulling. (No Magic is going to happen with a 12 cards box.) So, I’m going to need a strategy for creating idea cards. These are the first three things that come to mind.
- If things every return to something resembling pre-COVID normality and I’m able to people watch in public again, then I should dedicating time specifically to going places, observing, and collecting.
- Take James Altucher’s idea of daily idea generation and replicate it specifically for fiction. Set aside a small pocket of time every day to think of ten ideas to use in stories.
- In Blindboy’s episode Yurty Aherne he talks about his habit of stopping to write about his sensory experience while he experiences them. If he steps in mud, misses a bus, or any number of every day things, he’ll stop and scribble down descriptions of how it feels internally and externally. Use this.
One thing is clear, I have to again become diligent about having a pen and paper at all times. Even when I’m lounging around in pajama pants.
